


Aurora Crescent

by goyangyikongju



Category: ATEEZ (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-01-26 20:54:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21380449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goyangyikongju/pseuds/goyangyikongju
Summary: The wolves of Aurora Crescent, a city of werewolves shrouded in the depths of the forest by mist and protective spells, find themselves with a mysterious lone wolf, Hongjoong, on their hands. Endeavoring to exact revenge on the wolf that harmed his older brother and turned him into a beast, he poses a threat to preserving their hidden existence from the human world. As the seclusion they have relied on is disrupted, they must deal with the newcomer in the midst of a feud with a rival wolf pack.
Relationships: Hongjoong/Seonghwa, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	1. Alley Cat

“Press harder” Yunho ordered, his voice low and laced with concern. The slender body of the stranger was easily slung into his arms, but trying to carry him through the darkness with Mingi’s hands clamping down on the wound was proving difficult. The heaving breaths of the mysterious wolf were slowing and becoming shallower in uneven rhythms as the boy slipped in and out of consciousness. 

“I’m pushing as much as I can, but jeez, it’s bleeding so fucking much. Gets all slippery…” Mingi muttered with his usual lazy lips and blurred diction.

They finally reached the limo-like sleek, black silhouette of the car, visible only due to the dim lighting of the street lamps in the alleyway. 

“Open the door, Jongho. There’s blankets in the back,” Yunho barked impatiently and Jongho scrambled to the task, unfolding and spreading the blankets across the generously-sized back seat. Yunho slowly lowered the small figure to lie on a bed of blankets, his hands gingerly supporting the soft, long dirty-blonde hair at the back of the boy’s neck so it landed gently against the fabric. He glanced down at the scarlet-stained side of the stranger and sighed. “Mingi, you’ll have to drive. I need to care for his wounds.”

“All this for a scraggly little alley cat,” Mingi muttered under his breath, wiping the slimy blood on his jeans as Yunho took over in clamping his hands over the gaping side wound. He crouched on the ample floor space that stretched between the back and front seats and Jongho settled at his side.

“He’s a wolf same as the rest of us,” Yunho defended gruffly, meeting Mingi’s eyes with authority.

Mingi rolled his eyes. “Yeah, measly omega. We have enough herbivores in our ranks.” He winced as Jongho punched him in the arm. “Ow! Why?”

“He’s an alpha. Can’t you smell it?” Jongho pointed out, voice certain yet soft enough to show respect to his elder.

“Yeah, right!” Mingi scoffed. But, sure enough, as he leaned closer to sniff beyond the stench of blood, the scent of an alpha was indeed faintly traceable.

“We need to go NOW,” Yunho stated through gritted teeth.

Mingi huffed and went around to the driver’s side to plop onto the front seat, starting the car and checking the street ahead before letting his foot lightly ease onto the gas pedal. He began inching his way, headlights off and eyes peeled, through the dark back-ways of the city.

“Turn on the light, would you?” Yunho said to Jongho, pointing at the small backseat light above their heads. His voice was softer in attempts to calm Jongho, who was visibly panicking.

With new light, dim as it was, shining on the inflicted area, Yunho hesitantly released the pressure on the side wound and lifted the hem of the shirt. He pushed the fabric gently upwards to settle on the shallowly heaving ribcage of the little wolf. The skin of the slim waist was white as a sheet against the dark gushing outline of a monstrous wolf bite.

“Fuck.,” Yunho breathed.

“I’m sorry. I thought he was one of them…,” Jongho whined.

“Does he look like a member of Wonho’s pack???” Mingi sneered from the front seat.

“It’s alright. You were just defending us,” Yunho comforted Jongho. He was used to and therefore able to completely ignore Mingi’s usual snide comments, but Jongho was more sensitive despite being the physically strongest in the pack. He was the youngest of the fighters, after all.

Mingi was driving faster than he probably should have been now that they finally hit the highway, but at least the road was smooth with no winding turns.

“Fuck fuck fuck, the bleeding won’t stop. I think it needs stitches and I don’t know how to…” Yunho muttered, getting more frustrated as the blood gushed between his fingers. “Hand me the bottle of rubbing alcohol from the kit.”

“Haven’t you seen Seonghwa do it before?,” Jongho prodded cautiously.

“Yes, but it wasn’t a bite mark like this and I have no idea how I’d even…” He sighed, trailing off.

Jongho’s shaking fingers finally found the bottle and clumsily handed it to Yunho. “He’s not going to die… is he?,” the maknae whispered. When Yunho didn’t answer, he whined. “Hyung….what if I killed him?”

Yunho took the rubbing alcohol bottle and poured it generously over the wound, not expecting the wolf boy to jolt into consciousness with a cry of pain.

Deep golden-brown eyes flitted around frantically searching for sense within his evident delirium. “Where… am I?” His temperate voice, pleasant to the ear though shaky with pain and high in pitch for an alpha, was barely audible over the hum of the car engine. Catching glimpse of Jongho, he appeared to panic and began thrashing.

“Jongho! Hold him down,” Yunho ordered and the maknae clamped a powerful hand around the petite wrists and a strong arm across his shoulders to weigh them down. It only served to make the wolf more frantic as he looked into the eyes, warm and concerned as they may be, of the very wolf that attacked him only minutes ago.

Yunho endeavored to distract by gently brushing the delicate jaw of the stranger and leading his gaze to meet his own. “It’s alright, we’re not going to hurt you, I promise,” Yunho said. “We’re trying to get you home to our healer. He can help.”

“He tried to kill me!,” the blonde answered, though his voice choked as speaking with full volume evidently caused immense pain.

“I…I’m sorry,” Jongho stuttered. “I thought you were one of them…”

Though the apology was heartfelt, it didn’t seem to convince the pinned-down victim of his safety. He began struggling harder as Jongho loosened his grip and Yunho had to firmly settle his arm across the boy’s hips to keep him from thrashing.

“Shh-shh,” Yunho cooed. “Please try to relax. Your struggling is making the bleeding worse. Mingi! How much further?”

“Few minutes,” Mingi answered in an utterly nonchalant tone unbefitting of the atmosphere.

Yunho reached with his free hand for his cell phone and dialed with slippery fingers as best he could.

“Seonghwa! Thank god you answered. Are the others okay?”

“Yeah, they just got here. What’s wrong?” came the fuzzy answer on the other end of the line.

“Will you come meet us in the main garage? We’re almost there.”

“Oh god. Who’s hurt?” Seonghwa questioned, voice overflowing with concern.

“Not one of us. We’re fine…” He trailed off, hesitating.

“Then what do you need me for?”

“It’s…he’s…just come meet us,” he answered. He hung up and tossed the phone aside to replace pressure on the wound.

A few long minutes went by as they drove through the rough terrain of the forest road and they finally arrived with the car coming to a sudden halt. 

No sooner did the speedometer hit zero than the door swung open and Seonghwa’s handsome figure with medical kit in hand crawled inside, crouching between Jongho and Yunho. He took hold of Yunho’s wrist with latex-gloved fingers and pulled it away from the wound before frowning at the severity.

“Whose bite?” he asked curtly, practiced hands already busy threading a needle to begin stitches.

“Mine,” Jongho murmured in a timid and high-pitched tone that contradicted his strong grip on the struggling victim.

Seonghwa looked up at the stranger with his well-groomed dark eyebrows knitted into a frown and then glared back at Jongho trying to guess the situation.

“Get out,” he barked bluntly. “Yunho, hold him down.”

Jongho retreated like a puppy with its tail between its legs and Yunho took over with gentler grip to pin the boy’s wrists to either side of his head. “Just look at me. Everything’s okay,” Yunho comforted in his deep, velvety voice. The boy answered by meeting his gaze and letting out a tiny whimper that morphed into a howl as the first prick of the needle dug into this wound. His cries and growls grew louder as he began thrashing to escape the pain. His rib cage arched upwards as the stinging of the needle overwhelmed the already burning nerves.

“He’s struggling too much. I might have to tranq him,” Seonghwa grunted as his fingers fumbled while trying to continue sewing.

He gave up with a sigh as the needle slipped out of his grasp again and reached for a syringe. With a strong grip, he rotated the boy’s hips slightly and pulled down the hem of his pants on the uninjured side just a few centimeters. Finding the fleshy part of the skinny boy’s hip behind his hipbone, he dug the needle in. The liquid slowly emptied in a matching decrescendo with the wolf boy’s animated struggling. 

Yunho was able to release the stranger’s wrists as the crescent-shaped eyes drooped closed. The gentle alpha awkwardly tried to arrange the unconscious boy’s lifeless arms in a way that looked less tortured, but struggled to do so and just let one fall at his uninjured side and one hang off the edge of the car seat.

“You may go now.” Seonghwa liked his privacy when he was working his healing magic.

“I’d rather stay,” Yunho answered calmly with his eyes lingering on Seonghwa’s figure as the omega focused on his ministrations.

Seonghwa seemed to feel his gaze and glanced up at him briefly with unreadable expression.

Yunho cleared his throat. “You’ll need help carrying him to the infirmary later.”

He hummed in agreement. “True, but I’d rather not spend the night there. He’ll need constant supervision in this state. He will stay in my room.”

Yunho growled under his breath and his gaze upon Seonghwa’s hands working on the stranger wolf grew more heated. Did he not realize how strong his omega pheromones were? Had he not seen a mirror lately? “You should not be alone with an alpha in your chambers.”

“Oh, please. He is no threat to me in this state.”

Yunho snarled and captured Seonghwa’s diligently working wrist in a strong grip.

“Do you want him to die because you stayed my hand?”

“He is a stranger. And it is not appropriate when you are of mating age.”

“May I remind you that you are the one who brought him here? Besides, who are you to tell me who may or may not stay with me?”

“You are the head alpha’s only son. Whoever you mate with becomes heir. You should choose carefully who you let in your bed,” Yunho growled. It was extremely rare that he showed any anger despite being an alpha, but it turned out he did in fact have the classic alpha temper in there somewhere.

Seonghwa snatched back his wrist with a hot scowl on his porcelain features. His face softened as he saw Yunho’s sincerely worried expression. “Go wait outside the car, would you? I won’t ask again,” he ordered softly this time.

When he finished cleaning and dressing the wound, he stepped out the car door to find both Jongho and Yunho’s masculine forms waiting with matching worried expression, though the worry was for different reasons.

“Is he going to be alright?” Jongho questioned as Yunho leaned in the car to cautiously lift the limp form and carry him out.

The snapping sound of latex echoed through the garage as Seonghwa removed his bloodied gloves. “The bite is quite deep. A human would have died from that much blood loss, but hopefully his wolf healing should kick in. I can tell based on how slow it is that he was not born wolf and must be recently turned. I won’t ask about his affiliations with our rival pack, but—”

“He’s on our side,” Jongho interrupted quickly.

Seonghwa raised an eyebrow. “What? Why?”

“We’re not sure. All we know is he saved Yohan’s life. We were following Wonho when the fighting broke out. Yohan got cornered. We weren’t able to get there fast enough and the stranger wolf bit one of Wonho’s wolves from behind.”

“He’s small, but he’s fast and a good fighter,” Yunho added. "It was them against one of Wonho’s wolves until Mingi and I could finally fight our way through to help them.”

“Why the hell would Jongho bite him, then?” Seonghwa questioned.

“I was distracted fighting off Shownu. You know he’s the strongest besides Wonho himself. His arms are pure steel,” Jongho rambled. “So when the others started retreating, I fell back and then ended up mistaking him,” he gestured to the unmoving form in Yunho’s arms, “for one of them and I…umm… attacked him.”

“My father will want to hear all of this,” Seonghwa stated firmly. “Including how you let a lone wolf into Aurora Crescent. You know our community is cloaked to hide its location from our enemies and you broke code to bring him here. I pray to the wolf gods for all of you that he is in a forgiving mood. Jongho, go and find Yohan and Hangyul to be with you when you tell him.”

Jongho gulped, but bowed his head and wordlessly set off up the stairs ahead of them.

The long walk up the winding steps and through the empty common rooms of the head alpha’s mansion up to Seonghwa’s chambers were silent save for the labored breathing of the honey-haired victim in Yunho’s arms. Seonghwa soundlessly opened the door to his lavish bedroom, the starry night and the bright moon the only things lighting the matte wooden floors through glass wall overlooking a balcony leading to the glittering lake. Turning on the light switch and rummaging through his closets for some furs and blankets, he made a quasi-bed a few feet from the foot of his own bed to lay the little wolf on.

“No, don’t set him there yet with those soiled clothes,” Seonghwa scolded. “Here.” He took a simple t-shirt and pajama pants from his drawer and reached for the buttons of the boy’s bloodied shirt.

“You would have him wear your clothes?” Yunho questioned incredulously.

“Of course, why not? He saved my cousin’s life and what other clothes can he use? It’s not sanitary to leave him in a pool of his own blood.” 

“Very well,” Yunho answered. He was unable to argue and was truly thankful for the boy having saved one of his fellow pack members. But when Seonghwa reached to pull off the bloodied shirt again, he pulled the little alpha’s body away protectively. “I’ll do it.” He carefully set the boy on the floor and unbuttoned the shirt, peeling it off the limp arms that were lifeless as a rag doll.

Yunho began unhooking and tugging off the stained trousers to see that the thin cotton of the victim’s underwear was stained crimson as well. His gaze met with Seonghwa’s tranquil eyes. “What are you doing? Look away,” he complained when the omega tried to help him tug the clothing away. Seonghwa, stubborn as usual, continued tugging only to find himself blocked by warm, firm hands.

“He’s my patient. Let me look after him. What’s the problem?”

Yunho sighed. Would he never get it? “He’s an alpha and you are an omega. Look away,” he reiterated. “…please,” he added softly.

Seonghwa rolled his eyes and turned himself around to face the opposite wall. He peeked back out of the corner of his eye every few seconds to ensure his patient was being gently handled. Yunho peeled off the underwear and trousers and slipped the pajama pants on, handling the slender hips and legs as cautiously as he could. Seonghwa returned to help him slip the t-shirt over the sandy-blonde mullet and thread the boy’s arms through the armholes, receiving only a glare from Yunho as his hands inadvertently brushed the bare skin of the stranger. They finally settled him on the bed of furs and covered him with a fleece blanket.

“I’m not leaving you alone with him. I will stay here tonight,” Yunho stated as though the decision was fact, not up for discussion.

Seonghwa scoffed. “What on earth is the problem? I can take care of myself.”

“Do you even know what your scent is like lately?” Yunho’s voice was low, nearly morphing into a moan at the end.

Seonghwa grew visibly frustrated. “You think me being alone with two alphas in my room all night is somehow better than one?”

Yunho faltered, his mouth slightly agape with words eluding him.

Seonghwa continued, triumphant. “He is injured. He won’t be attacking me if he can’t even stand up. You on the other hand…” He glared accusingly at the taller.

“Seonghwa…” Yunho’s voice was barely a whisper. An air of pleading laced his next words as he took Seonghwa’s hand in his own, stroking the elegant fingers with his own much-larger ones. “Don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not a matter of trust. I just want to be left to sleep, hmm? It’s been a long day for both of us.”

Yunho dropped his hands and nodded, his head lowering. He turned to leave and as he was about to shut the door behind him, Seonghwa called him back.

“I…” he trailed off. “I’m glad you didn’t get hurt today,” Seonghwa stated awkwardly, but with sincerity. He cleared his throat. “Good night.”

Yunho’s smile could have lit up a thousand dark nights with its radiant glow. “Good night,” he whispered back.


	2. Newcomer

Seonghwa awakened later than usual feeling well-rested as though he himself had been put under sleep aid. He slid to the edge of his bed with a yawn before glancing at the mysterious little wolf who lay unconscious on his floor. The mild rise and fall of the chest that denoted his breathing patterns were in even rhythm now and his complexion was regaining healthy coloring.

Seonghwa stood and drew closer. He couldn’t help but be distracted by the way the morning sunlight coming through the balcony bounced off his patient’s dewy skin. Though the healer was usually very focused on his healing and never the type to be easily distracted, he couldn’t help but find himself curious. It had been so long since he had met a stranger or anyone outside the pack for that matter. Alphas often went to the human world, but omegas mostly stayed inside Aurora Crescent and Seonghwa had many duties as one of the superior omegas. This new wolf was a wonder to him. Wide eyes, narrow nose sharper than a blade, thin rosy lips that were parted slightly in peaceful sleep, graceful yet sharp jaw line all well worth beholding. 

Remembering task at hand, he reached to pull the blanket slowly down from his patient’s shoulders, baring his muscular but lean upper body.

A huff of breath came from the tranquilized wolf’s open lips and he stirred with a slight tilt of his head. A groan followed as the cold nipped at the rousing wolf’s thin human-form skin. His eyelids unglued themselves and dizzy eyes tried to focus on Seonghwa with discernible difficulty. He tried to sit up and Seonghwa had to lay a soft hand on his shoulder to encourage him to stop.

“Just lie still, please,” Seonghwa said with his usual soothing velvety vocal tone. “I had to tranquilize you and they won’t have fully worn off yet. You will experience dizziness, but it will fade soon.”

“Where am I?” His voice was barely more than a croak.

“You are in a safe place for now.” He began rummaging in his medical kit.

Without warning, the little wolf grasped Seonghwa’s shirt, pulling him over with desperately-met eyes. It was clear, though, that the wide eyes were still fuzzy from being drugged. With strength unbefitting of his current state or petite stature, he pushed Seonghwa aside and ran towards the door. His footfalls were uneven, but shockingly swift.

Seonghwa scrambled to his feet after him and ran to place himself between his patient and the door. Hands outstretched cautiously to signal good intent and at-the-ready should his patient fall, Seonghwa pleaded. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.”

The stranger-wolf lurched left and right, testing how fast he could get around his presumed captor. Seonghwa could have easily overpowered and snatched the upper hand from his stumbling patient, but feared to lose his trust or accidentally harm him.

“Trust me. You don’t want to go out there,” Seonghwa warned.

But his words must have fallen on deaf ears as the little wolf clumsily shoved him against the wall and fumbled with the door handle despite hazy vision. The boy was halfway down the staircase when his eyes met with that of another’s from across the room. He froze, eyes flitting around to see not one, but four figures sitting on the furniture in the large common room with vast windows that currently lit the room with morning light. He blinked wildly in clear attempt to view the strangers better.

“Who the fuck is that?” came the snarl of the wolf that had caught glimpse of Seonghwa’s patient first.

“Wooyoung, I… I can explain,” Seonghwa stuttered. He realized how it must look with an alpha, an outsider no less, coming out of his chambers in the morning looking less than sober.

Seeming to sense the tension in the room, the wolf in question continued down the stairs and tried to make it to the door as fast as his rubbery legs would allow. He didn’t make it far as Wooyoung slammed the boy against the wall with a powerful forearm against his collarbone. The wind knocked out of his lungs, the stranger leaned his full weight against the wall and would have fallen if not for the pressure of Wooyoung’s assault.

Seonghwa scrambled down the rest of the stairs and hurried to their side. “Wooyoung, don’t hurt him. He’s injured.”

“What is this runt doing here? He smells like an alpha, but he's weak like a lone wolf.” His lips curled in disgust.

“He is my patient and you must treat him gently or his stitches will rip.”

Regaining his senses, the little wolf began thrashing against the hold on him. Wooyoung had to adjust his grip and seize the struggling arms to pin them against the wall, pressing his considerably larger stature against his victim.

Seonghwa drew closer to try to catch his patient’s eyes. “We’re not trying to hurt you, I promise. Stop struggling and he’ll release you, hmm?”

Wooyoung glared back at the omega in defiance of said promise.

Yunho’s calming hand found Wooyoung’s shoulder and encouraged him to lighten his grip. As Wooyoung’s form retreated slightly, his shirt was revealed to have been stained with a small patch of blood.

“No,” Seonghwa bellowed. “Look what you’ve done!” He turned to shout at the boy behind him. “Yeosang, would you pack up and get my medical kit from my room? Wooyoung, lay him on the coffee table. I need to re-stitch whatever’s ripped.”

“We eat on this table,” Mingi interjected. 

Nevertheless, Yunho and Wooyoung scooped up the little wolf, limbs a tangle of hysteria. They less-than-gently forced him down onto the table.

Yeosang returned a moment later, spry legs having carried him up and down the stairs in record speed. Seonghwa took the medical kit and reopened it on the couch. Yeosang moved to help him with the needles.

“No, Yeosang. I need you to hold his legs down,” Seonghwa ordered.

Yeosang glanced to the intimidating newcomer, surrounded on either side with shoulders held down by the strong alpha grips of Yunho and Wooyoung. “C-can’t Mingi—”

“I want no fucking part of this,” Mingi said lazily, crossing his arms and legs in defiance as he remained on the couch.

Seonghwa once again ignored Mingi entirely. “No, Yeosang, you can do it. I need someone to help calm him down and you’re small enough to not get in my way.”

Yeosang nodded shyly and shuffled over. He timidly climbed onto the table and knelt between the kicking legs, pressing his hands and leaning his entire weight against the flesh of the lower thighs to hold them still. He met the frantic depths of the unfamiliar eyes and shied from the gaze. He gulped, gathering courage, and faced the newcomer once again. “I know this isn’t the best of circumstances, but it’s nice to meet you. What’s your name?” he asked. His kind words and demure demeanor were in sharp contrast to the harsh alphas in the room, thus seeming to sedate the terror in the eyes of the victim pinned to the table.

“Hong…joong.”

“Hongjoong. Hong is like, the world, and joong means center so…you must be, like, the center of a parting world.” He paused, pondering the meaning. “It’s a nice name.” Hongjoong’s breathing calmed and Yeosang smiled to see he was helping. “That’s Yunho and Wooyoung,” he continued with a head gesture to each alpha. Hongjoong grimaced and glanced to each of the wolf boys at his sides through his peripheral vision. “Mingi is the one over there…” he gestured. He turned affectionately to his elder omega. “…and that’s Seonghwa, like ‘mars’ backwards,” Yeosang finished.

“Seong…hwa…,” Hongjoong repeated with careful diction as if reciting a poem or the name of a rare flower. He looked towards the face of said flower with a twinkle of admiration in his soulful topaz eyes. 

Seonghwa had already slapped on new gloves and was hiking up the edge of his patient’s shirt. He felt the boy’s regard and looked down at him. “You might not want to watch this, hmm?” He revealed the scarlet-soaked bandage and tugged at its edge, the skin around the wound pulling with it as he removed it.

Hongjoong met eyes with Yeosang, who gave him a docile grin.

“Luckily, it looks like only a few of the stitches came out.”

“He struggled a lot last time. Can’t you just tranq him again please,” Yunho begged.

“No, it’s not good for him to endure a double dose within twenty-four hours.”

At those words, the boy seemed to remember the last time needle met flesh and began wriggling again, a frown staining his handsome features.

“Relax,” Seonghwa soothed. “It’ll only take a few short minutes,” he continued, his gloved hand steadying Hongjoong’s writhing abdomen. “It will be quicker the more you hold still for me.” He spoke as though to a child and began stroking the tensed belly muscles in circular motions, finding himself once again enthralled by the boy’s features. His eyes lingered on Hongjooong's defined ribs as he remembered the pastel nipples, shapely collarbones, and smooth shoulders he had inadvertently caught glimpse of the night before. Those parts of Hongjoong were now covered, but they were imprinted on his mind regardless. He sighed and raised his gaze to the tensed neck muscles and the contorted angelic features of his face, which were gradually unclenching. The struggles slowed once more. “That’s it,” Seonghwa’s melodious voice praised as his touch trailed to brush the backs of his latex-encased fingers on the other side of the wound where the skin was still flawless.

Hongjoong’s eyes slid closed and his expression squeezed in pain, body tensing, and a groan escaped his lips as the sewing needle dug in, but he ceased to move beyond that.

“Almost done,” Seonghwa promised as the needle slid into skin and out again to tug the final bite mark closed. After knotting the thread with dexterous skill, he dabbed at the still-moist area to clean it. “This will sting,” he confessed as he prepared disinfectant on a cotton boll. Sure enough, Hongjoong let a hiss out as it cruelly kissed his open wound.

“Finished,” he announced with a sigh of relief. All three helpers gradually released their holds, eyeing Hongjoong for any sign of sudden movement. “It’s best to leave the wound without bandage for a little while so it has a chance to breathe.”

No sooner had Seonghwa removed his gloves and wiped the sweat from his brow than he found himself curiously close to Yunho. “W-what are you doing?” he asked as he felt Yunho shielding his form from the others and herding him towards the staircase. Strong hands grasped his shoulders and turned him around. Seonghwa craned his head, trying to see what on earth Yunho was doing.

“Just trust me, we need to go a minute” Yunho whispered in his ear, tone suspicious.

“Go where?” Seonghwa interrogated loudly.

Yunho ignored him, overpowering his strength significantly, to force him up the stairs, facing him opposite the others. “Yeosang, will you look after our guest a minute?” Yunho sung out cheerily. “Wooyoung, I don’t care how violent he gets, don’t you dare lay a hand on him. I’ll be right back.”

Seonghwa was visibly disgruntled when Yunho finally ushered him through the door of his bedroom and let the it shut behind them. Seonghwa shook his shoulders free and faced the alpha. “What the hell? ” 

Yunho gestured down to Seonghwa’s shirt.

Seonghwa looked down. His expression shifted and his ears slowly flushed scarlet red. “Oh.”

He turned on his heels away from Yunho and pulled the fabric at the front of his shirt away from his skin and began blowing on it frantically as if that would dry it.

“It’s alright, you don’t need to be shy with me,” Yunho offered. “It’s perfectly natural.”

“As if,” Seonghwa murmured, barely letting his eyes glance back at Yunho. “This is not supposed to be happening.”

“It hasn’t happened before?” Yunho probed.

“No,” Seonghwa defended, huffing.

“Did you want me to…umm…s-suck it out?” his voice was oddly calm despite the mild stuttering.

“No!” Seonghwa shouted defensively, snatching a clean shirt from his drawer and retreating to the bathroom.

Yunho waited a moment, biting his lip. He hesitated before knocking on the bathroom door.

“Seonghwa, are you alright in there?”

“I’m fine. Just go away.”

Much to Seonghwa’s relief, the alpha’s footsteps could be heard heading for the door to his bedroom. He waited until the bedroom door clicked and he was sure Yunho was far gone before he ripped his shirt off over his head and glowered into the mirror at his reflection. His nipples were an inflamed shade of dark pink and standing hard and swollen as more little droplets of pearly-white liquid threatened to squeeze out.

Finding a small towel, he took a deep breath and ran his hand up his chest towards the left one, knowing it would hurt less. He pinched it between his fingers, endeavoring to squeeze out as much as he could bear to. He let out an unexpected cry of pain and threw his hand over his mouth to try to mask the sound. He glanced with apprehension towards the door, praying to the wolf gods that no one could hear his cry.

Just as he began to breathe easy, a knock on the door nearly caused him to jump out of his skin and turn wolf right then and there. He found himself hitting the ground instead with a thump as he lost his footing and fell. Entire face now red with humiliation and heart pounding in panic, his mind raced with what the hell to do.

“Seonghwa…” came the dulcet timbre of Yeosang’s angelic voice. “It’s me. Yunho said I should check on you. May I come in?”

Seonghwa crawled to the door and clicked the lock open then crawled backwards to sit hugging his knees while he leaned against the tub. The small omega peeked his head inside and offered his elder a sympathetic smile.

“Come in,” Seonghwa breathed.

Yeosang slid the door closed and wordlessly knelt to take the towel from Seonghwa’s grip. Seonghwa slowly lowered his legs to expose his chest.

“Did the others see?”

Yeosang shook his head. “Only Yunho and I seem to have noticed.”

Seonghwa sighed in relief and ran a hand through his hair.

“You’ll let me help you, right?” Yeosang asked, awaiting permission from his elder as if the favor was for him.

Seonghwa nodded.

“You know it would hurt less if you let me suck it out…” Yeosang whispered.

“No, just use your fingers, please. I can take it.” Visibly shaking despite his confident words, Seonghwa readjusted himself more comfortably and leaned his head back against the rim of the tub to stare at the ceiling.

Yeosang inched himself closer until his breath could be felt against Seonghwa’s collarbones. His cushiony short-nailed fingertips timidly pinched the bud until a modest amount of milk squirted out, which he let the towel soak up quickly before it could stream down his hyung’s chest. Seonghwa let out only a miniscule whimper, clearly putting on a show of bravery in front of the younger omega.

“H-how much more do you think there is?” Yeosang asked.

Seonghwa lifted his head and looked down. “Go again,” he ordered. This time he used his own finger flat against the skin to swipe with pressured strokes towards the center from all directions to help encourage the last of it to come out. A few more drops later, he stopped. “It’s good enough,” he grunted, breathless.

Yeosang looked apologetically at his elder before reaching for the other. This time the healer was utterly helpless in holding back his pained mewl. His whine of distress dragged out as his shaking fingers helped every last drop finally drain from the swollen nipple.

“Thank you,” Seonghwa breathed. He sat up and wiped a hand over his face to regain composure.

“Hyung…”

“Yes?”

“I heard that that happens when you’re supposed to have mated but haven’t yet…like your body is preparing for a pup that isn’t there…” he trailed off in fear he would offend the other.

“That is what they say to scare us into trying to find mates young, but it can happen earlier under certain circumstances, too.”

“I thought that happening was rare and you had to be…” he cleared his throat, unable to meet the elder’s eyes. “…t-turned on,” he finally finished.

Seonghwa stood and began putting on his clean shirt. He ruffled his disheveled bangs in the mirror, choosing not to answer. Yeosang grew visibly more uneasy and Seonghwa finally met his gaze.

“It’s not going to happen to me is it?” Yeosang blurted like a bubble that couldn’t help but pop, not really meaning to have asked such an insensitive question out loud. He winced in regret.

To his relief, Seonghwa chuckled and fluffed the younger’s hair playfully. “Don’t you worry, we’ll find you a wonderful mate soon.”

“But hyung….” Yeosang just wouldn’t let it go. “Why haven’t you chosen anyone? Yunho is clearly in love with you and Wooyoung would kill to mate with you. They’re both strong and capable and handsome and you could have anyone you want.”

Seonghwa sighed, not sure it was right to share his truth with the younger in case it influenced his positive outlook too much. “Let’s just say I’m not looking forward to another alpha owning me any more than my father owns the air that I breathe and the ground that I walk on.”

“But hyung, alphas are not meant to just order us around. I want someone strong who can fight off anything that tries to hurt me. Someone like… Wooyoung…” His face turned noticeably redder.

“You like him?” Seonghwa asked, taken aback.

“No! That’s not what I meant,” Yeosang whined. “He likes you anyway.”

“He likes my title, not me,” Seonghwa scoffed bitterly. “But Yeosang, have you seen yourself? You are a visual masterpiece from the wolf gods, not to mention courteous and affectionate. Any alpha would be begging at your feet if they weren’t too fearful of rejection to do so. Wooyoung would certainly favor you, but is he really the type of person you want to be with?”

Suddenly, their ears perked up to the furious roar of a familiar voice.

“Fuck,” Seonghwa whispered and jolted to dash towards the sound.


	3. Head Alpha

“Father!” Seonghwa shouted, feet frantically flying down the stairs.

Donghae’s massive hand, claws out, was clenched around the vulnerable patient’s neck, squeezing the life-giving air such that the little alpha’s face was slightly tinting ice blue. It was clear he could no nothing but lay helpless on the table with his weak arms loosely gripping the forearms of his attacker. His wound was still exposed to the morning air as the head alpha held him down.

“I won’t fucking ask again. WHO THE FUCK’S DECISION WAS IT TO BRING A LONE WOLF INTO OUR RANKS WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A WORD OF IT TO ME?” Donghae’s own face was flushed with fury, neck veins protruding as if about to burst. What was visible of his musculature beyond his thin tank top was tensed hard as stone. Some of the elders of the pack, including a few of the older alphas must have heard the news and had entered by now to see the stranger.

Jongho was quivering behind the head alpha, wringing his hands in anxiety. He stood on wobbly knees with his line of vision down at the floor as though he were wishing to melt into it.

Yohan stood tall and approached the head alpha, worried expression on his dapper features. “Uncle, as I explained, he saved my life,” he explicated evenly. His words did nothing to calm the fury.

“Please, father, lighten your grip,” Seonghwa implored, his voice flavored with the saccharine overtones of honey. His presence was known to be one of the few things that could calm the fires of his father’s rage. He knelt before his father and exposed his neck in sign of submission before looking up with docile doe eyes.

Donghae released his deathly grip and rested the palm of his hand on the boy’s neck, readjusting to sit comfortably at Hongjoong’s side. His fingers stroked around the adam’s apple and jawline teasingly as if to warn that his grip may return if things didn’t go the way he wanted. “What’s it to you, Seonghwa?” he scoffed.

Seonghwa eyed Hongjoong’s condition. He was gasping for oxygen now that his airway was free. He prayed the boy was smart enough to keep still. “He is my patient since he was brought here injured.”

“He is an outsider.”

“He was injured by one of our own after saving Yohan. But even it weren’t so, I am a healer and I would have saved his life from mortal wound regardless. I don’t wish to see anyone hurt.”

“You didn’t think to tell me immediately of his presence here?”

Seonghwa eyed Jongho apologetically. “Jongho was tasked with informing you,” he divulged despite how he wanted to lie to protect the younger. He knew any lies he told would be transparent as the glass windows from which the sunlight was sparkling down on them.

Donghae glared behind to the young alpha, daggers in his eyes. “And yet he didn’t do so.”

Jongho dropped to the floor and bared his neck in submission. All stood in empty silence.

“I will take full responsibility,” Yunho broke the silence with valiant confidence. “I was the highest ranked alpha on this mission and it was my responsibility to keep the fight from breaking out. I was the one who chose to bring Hongjoong here rather than leave him to die in the street or at the hands of Wonho’s wolves. I should have been the one to verify that you knew and approved of his presence. I ask that you do not fault my inferiors or the boy himself as he has done no wrong in being brought here, sir.”

Donghae listened, but simply huffed amusedly at the monologue. His attention was more fixed on Hongjoong. The pad of his clawed thumb trailed threateningly down the little alpha’s throat to his collarbone. His hand swept curiously down Hongjoong’s chest and scrunched the thin shirt fabric in his powerful fist, scrutinizing the neatly stitched-up bite wound. “He will make full recovery?”

“Yes, he lost a lot of blood, but he will survive,” Seonghwa answered, hope blossoming as his father showed concern for the boy.

“Can he walk?”

“Yes…” Seonghwa responded a little more hesitantly. His stomach twisted to think why he would ask that.

“Fight?”

Seonghwa gulped. It was now fairly clear he was asking if the wolf was a threat. “Hardly,” Seonghwa defended, gesturing at the boy lying motionless under the stronger’s control.

“Jongho, go and fetch me three restraints, would you?” he commanded almost lazily. 

Jongho scrambled up from the floor and rushed to rummage through the cupboards, eager to prove himself worthy of forgiveness with show of obedience.

Three belts made of tan leather-encased steel, strong enough to reign in even the strength of a werewolf, were handed to the head alpha. Two were set aside. Hongjoong’s hip and shoulder were grasped by the head alpha and he was turned to lie on his uninjured side, arms forced together behind his back. He began hyperventilating slightly and let out a hum of pain as the movement pulled at his wound. His eyes met Seonghwa’s seeking defense or perhaps to ask if he should fight back, but he lay limp in pure yielding of his body for the moment.

“Just let him,” Seonghwa mouthed in desperation to communicate that he should not under any circumstances resist.

The leather encrusted chain was pulled taught around Hongjoong’s wrists and he winced as the buckle was hooked much too tightly. His eyes widened in horror as he felt his ankles being manipulated and the second restraint was added to them. Now completely immobilized, he was swallowing back sobs.

Every set of eyes fixed on the restraint that had not been used. The air was heavy with suspense.

Anger visibly all but gone, Donghae took up the last restraint and worked it between his fingers almost affectionately. He turned to Seonghwa, then Mingi, then Jongho, teasing blame at each before settling on Yunho. He approached the young alpha. “You will take responsibility?”

“Yes,” Yunho answered with dignity.

“Very well.” He grasped the scruff of Yunho’s neck and forced the boy to bend down slightly in diminishment of his considerable height. Yunho outstretched his wrists obediently in front of him, knowing full well what came next. He remained expressionless as his hands were humiliatingly fastened together in leather and steal reprimand.

“Leeteuk, Siwon, take him to the dungeon. I will decide his punishment later.” 

Seonghwa gaped on in horror as Yunho was dragged away by the stronger alphas’ might.

“Kyuhyun, gather every mature wolf in the pack for tonight. We will hold a trial for this one and make judgement as to his fate.” He looked down to the trembling captive without a hint of sympathy evident in his cold, black eyes.

With that, the pack members that had gathered for the show began to disperse to go about their daily routines as usual or, more likely, meet others to gossip about what had transpired. Soon all that were left were Yeosang, Wooyoung, Donghae’s mate Ryeowook, and Seonghwa. Seonghwa was still kneeling, frozen in shock.

Donghae turned to his son, the head alpha’s expression softening as the scrutinizing eyes of so many pack members were no longer on him. “Seonghwa,” he probed, the tiniest hint of worry at his son’s lack of movement spreading across his face.

“Yes, father.” Seonghwa snapped out of his motionless trance.

“You will finish his treatment to ensure that his condition improves enough to endure questioning tonight.” 

“I don’t know that his condition is—”

“Do what you can, then,” the head alpha interrupted. “Wooyoung, you will not take your eyes off our prisoner for a second. Should he try anything, feel free to use any force necessary.” With that, he turned to leave.

Ryeowook approached Seonghwa and encouraged him to stand. “You did well, hun. Your stitches are perfect.”

“Papa…” Seonghwa whimpered in a moment of pup-like weakness.

Ryeowook took his son’s face in his warm, affectionate hands and nuzzled his nose. “I’ll talk to him, don’t worry.”

“Thank you,” Seonghwa whispered, worry for Yunho and the newcomer clearly communicated through the connection of touch.

When his parents had gone, Seonghwa knelt down to examine Hongjoong, who was still visibly shaking and taking in labored breaths. “Shhh,” he soothed as he scrutinized the bruises that were sure to form at his throat. “I’m sorry my father hurt you. Just try to calm yourself as much as you can. The stress isn’t helping your healing process.”

“Yeosang, help me move him to the couch.” The two omegas gingerly lifted the bound wolf to let him sink into the plush cushions in a laying position. Seonghwa reached behind his back to unhook the restraint holding his wrists together.

“What are you doing?” growled Wooyoung, thwarting the omega’s effort and forcing him against the armrest of the couch. His form radiated heat as he pressed his hips dominantly against Seonghwa’s slimmer form. “Head Alpha tied him like that for a reason.”

“I will restrain him again immediately once I shift his position,” Seonghwa assured through gritted teeth.

“Good,” Wooyoung approved smugly. He let his hands wander to Seonghwa’s hipbones and his breath blew hot against his neck, making Seonghwa’s baby hairs stand alert. “Your scent is different lately,” he moaned. His hands slid downwards to Seonghwa’s inner thighs and gave exploratory squeezes on along their way. It was as though now that the threat of Yunho was removed, the alpha was feeling newly emboldened.

“Unhand me,” Seonghwa growled in the most ferocious tone he could muster despite the instinct to back down to the will of an alpha. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Hongjoong was struggling at his bondage for the first time since he had been subjected to it.

Wooyoung chuckled. “You’ll give in to me one of these days, I suspect,” he said with lips ghosting over Seonghwa’s ear, wet tongue flicking out as if to taste it, but not quite touching the tongue to skin.

“Wooyoung!” Yeosang burst out suddenly, his ears turning red with frustration and subsequent embarrassment at having to interrupt such inappropriate behavior. He had been staring the whole time, but didn’t have the gumption to intervene until then.

Taking advantage of the distraction of Yeosang’s outburst, Seonghwa wriggled out of Wooyoung’s hold.

Without pause, he swiftly unhooked the restraint buckle holding Hongjoong’s arms behind his back with a light click and set it aside. He cradled the nape of Hongjoong’s neck while he slowly readjusted his arms to the front, not expecting the boy to nuzzle his face into Seonghwa’s sleeve and breathe in his scent. Seonghwa felt a shot of electricity crawl its way up his arm at the connection of skin on skin as though Hongjoong’s warmth was dispersing upwards through the veins of his arm. It continued like splitting rivers that then reconnected to flow into an ocean of heat that enveloped his entire body. He shuddered.

Hongjoong’s handsome facial features curved into an expression of euphoria as his eyes slid closed in pure bliss at the fragrance his sharp nose was privy to. He nestled closer into Seonghwa’s arm.

Seonghwa begrudgingly pulled his arm away, trying to regain his senses. Once sure he was fine, he returned to sit cozily close to his patient with his hip against Hongjoong’s side. He took up the throbbing wrists in each hand. Ignoring the electric spark feeling that crawled up his arms again, he gingerly soothed where the leather had been with gentle finger pads to encourage the circulation to return to normal in the area.

Wooyoung’s growl of jealousy could be heard despite the roar of rushing warmth echoing in Seonghwa’s head. The disgruntled alpha took up the discarded restraint and positioned it obnoxiously close to Seonghwa’s nose. “Put it back on him before I rip his hands off.”

Seonghwa looked up with snake-like venom in his narrowed eyes. “You wouldn’t dare touch a hair on his head,” he seethed. Nonetheless, he snatched the restraint back and settled Hongjoong’s wrists into it as though they were made of fragile porcelain. He fastened it such that he couldn’t slip out of them, but so that blood could reach his hands. Hongjoong was visibly panicking again at the claustrophobic feeling of being unable to move and this time it manifested in frustration as his face twisted into a frown.

Seonghwa understood his feelings immediately and began brushing his thumbs against Hongjoong’s smooth cheeks and the boy turned to putty in his hands with a hum of approval. “Yeosang,” Seonghwa sang out in his melodious voice. “Would you comfort him while I bandage his wound?”

Yeosang nodded and pushed past Wooyoung without so much as a look at the disgruntled alpha. He knelt beside the couch and began fluffing and running his fingers through Hongjoong’s hair. “We should get you some water and something to eat, huh?”

Hongjoong nodded and surprised everyone with his voice: “Please. I would very much appreciate that if you would.”

Seonghwa perked his head up. The sound of his voice was to Seonghwa like the taste of his favorite candy and unadmitted guilty pleasure; supple and syrupy with echoing overtones that enveloped the listeners’ ears with its complexity like the malleable chew of a caramel.

“I’ll make you something,” Yeosang chirped. He left an innocent peck on Hongjoong’s forehead, which made the boy blush, and sprung up towards the kitchen.

“Please don’t go,” Hongjoong begged quietly as Seonghwa finished smoothing the last corner of the bandage.

“I’m not going anywhere until the trial.” He trailed a hand down Hongjoong’s arm. He was getting addicted to the electric sensation. “I’ll stay with you, so don’t worry, hmm?”

*********************************************************************************************************

Donghae tossed Ryeowook onto their bed as though he weighed nothing and pounced on top of him, firm hands asserting their dominance over his mate. He ripped Ryeowook’s shirt in half and slid its remains out of the way with a chuckle, digging into Ryeowook’s skin and using his lips and teeth with brazen abandon.

“Donghae,” Ryeowook fussed, frustrated that the alpha was channeling his frustration into his body when he was determined to have word with his mate. He moaned, nonetheless, at the rough treatment. At least he could say their fire had not dwindled over the years.

“What is it, love?” Donghae answered with sarcastic sweetness. He began unbuttoning Ryeowook’s pants before giving up and simply ripping them down the crotch and shoving his hands to pull apart the omega’s underwear next.

“It’s Yunho. The pup was only doing what he thought was righteous. You would have done the same when you were his age.”

The head alpha sighed, letting his forehead, beaded with sweat, fall onto his lover’s chest. Ryeowook’s hand gently took his hand away, blocking his intentions for the moment. Donghae lifted his head and met the twinkling eyes of his mate. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. You know I won’t exile or execute him.”

“You know I favor him as a mate for Seonghwa, right?” Ryeowook’s voice was soft and laced with hope.

“I am well aware, dear,” he answered, disinterested.

“Donghae! I am serious. You humiliated him today and if he falls from the graces of the pack they will never respect him as a future leader.”

“You know that my main purpose for the moment is to keep this pack safe. In order to do that, I must be feared when necessary and sometimes that means showing that no one can cross me or break my rules, no matter how respected they may be.”

“How will you punish him?” Ryeowook questioned, elegant brow that he clearly passed onto Seonghwa knitted in consternation.

“Don’t worry yourself, sweetheart.” He kissed the top of Ryeowook’s head with a soft embrace. “You know I wouldn’t lay a hand on him. That humiliation was punishment in itself.”

“And what of the lone wolf?”

Donghae frowned, shifting his body to collapse next to his lover as both stared towards the ceiling. “He proves far greater dilemma. I will have to take his life if he shows even the slightest sign that he cannot be trusted.”

“Donghae! He is but a pup,” Ryeowook defended, shocked at the thought of harming the helpless little thing he had seen quivering under the grip of his mate’s claws today.

“He may be small and weak because he is a lone wolf without a pack to strengthen him, but if he joins Wonho’s pack or divulges our whereabouts or what we are to humans, he can cause our destruction.”

“He clearly has interest in defending us against Wonho and based on his slow healing he must be newly turned. He is vulnerable to however you wish to shape him, my love.” Ryeowook knew all too well to play on Donghae’s need to exert control on others, his instinct as head alpha.

“I’ll consider it,” Donghae answered as he flipped himself to straddle the smaller once more and return to his cravings for Ryeowook’s body.


	4. The Trial

Hongjoong was awoken from his slumber by the pat of a palm on his shoulder. When he opened his eyes, the memories of the last day flooded into his consciousness and a spark of fear electrocuted his body such that he jolted, wincing when it stretched his wound.

The gently patting hand rested against his shoulder and he felt warm breath blow on his ear, tickling against his hair and making it brush his multiple piercings. He turned his head towards the breath to find, to his relief, the face very close to him was that of Seonghwa.

Seonghwa, true to his word, had stayed at his side the whole day, even hand-feeding him Yeosang’s stellar cooking when his bound hands left him unable to feed himself. He had fallen asleep to the elegant fingers running through his hair. The tall and handsome savior was now kneeling on the floor next to him.

It took him a moment to blink the sleepiness and the last of the tranquilizers from his stressed eyes so they would focus on his surroundings. Once they did, he immediately regretted the knowledge of what was going on around him. He felt as though he were turned upside down in a dizzy spell as his stomach twisted nauseatingly to see the common room was far from empty.

Now dark save for the dim radiance of the massive lit fireplace, it was full of pack members. There were perhaps as many as one hundred adult werewolf men with more still entering. This place was monstrously larger than his imagination had painted it.

“Don’t move, just listen to me,” the dulcet tone of Seonghwa’s silky whisper slid into his ear with sound waves that tickled and vibrated his ear drums.

He shivered, wanting to let out a moan despite the tense situation. The adrenaline coursing through his veins ever since he was abducted by this mysterious werewolf pack was now mixing interestingly with the crackling heat of Seonghwa’s hand cradling his face while the healer whispered into his ear.

“Just stay as still as you can and don’t show any signs of fighting back. As I explained earlier, my father is the head alpha and he will be asking you questions. It’s very, very important that you answer honestly and with as much detail as possible so they can fully trust you. He can hear your heartbeat’s unevenness if you lie. He…” he hesitated. “I overheard that he will bring out silver and wolfsbane,” he continued apologetically.

Hongjoong gave him a blank look, unsure of what that meant.

“You don’t know what that is?” the boy questioned with incredulity.

Hongjoong shook his head.

Seonghwa sighed. “Just how long have you been a wolf? Silver is poisonous to us and if cut by it, it will continue to spread in our blood streams until healed by special herbs and bloodletting. Wolfsbane is a plant that is also poisonous to us. It weakens us if ingested, but isn’t as deadly and will eventually flush out of our systems and...” He trailed off as he appeared to recognize that Hongjoong couldn’t take in that much information all at once. He bit his lip a moment and Hongjoong was fixed on how the moist, peach-tinted flesh was subjected to the pressure of pearly white teeth. “You don’t want him to use them,” the healer summarized.

Hongjoong nodded, able to understand that much clearly.

He felt his cuffed hands enveloped by Seonghwa’s elegant, long fingers. They tapped lightly against Hongjoong’s as if playing piano keys. Even the lightest touch sent tingles through Hongjoong’s whole body. “I can’t stay with you much longer. They will take you soon…”

Hongjoong’s heart sunk. His saving grace in the midst of all this turmoil was the presence of the flower-fragranced angel wolf. “Please, don’t go…”

“I’m sorry. I will be as close as I can during the questioning. I don’t have the highest standing in this pack. I’m only an omega, so I will be unable to help you. My father will not let me approach you or speak until it’s over unless he has a question for me.” He turned his head towards the movement behind him and squeezed Hongjoong’s bound hands one last time. “Here they come.”

“Wait!” Hongjoong turned frantic. “What do they want from me? What did I do wrong?,” he whimpered.

Seonghwa’s eyes turned glassy with pity. “Nothing, hun…”

Seonghwa’s face faded into the darkness as the healer was pressed aside by muscular arms. The unfamiliar stocky builds of strangers filled Hongjoong’s field of vision and he wished he could shrink into the couch cushions and escape the clenching claws and rock-hard arms that imprisoned his whole body.

He was brought to a pillar at the far end of the room from the fireplace and set sitting against it. He curled into the fetal position and hugged his knees with his arms. No matter how he shrunk inwards, however, he still felt on full display to over one hundred pairs of eyes. Crouching, kneeling, sitting cross-legged, perched on the backs of the couches, leaning on the hearth of the fireplace, the wolves’ serious faces glowed eerily from the fire.

Dread clouded over Hongjoong darker than the ominous shadow of the head alpha as he approached. Memory of the claws that shut his throat from life-breath only hours ago overwhelmed Hongjoong. His instinct once again told him to play possum and he let himself go limp as his legs were stretched out in front of him.

To his surprise, his ankle restraints were released and discarded. His feet and knees were pressed apart by the commanding hands of the head alpha and his arm restraints released next.

The head alpha disappeared behind him and he jumped in surprise when his arms were pulled backwards to wrap around the pillar and fastened there. The thickness of the pillar forced his chest into open posture, making him feel even more exposed and vulnerable. He scanned the sea of unfamiliar faces for Seonghwa and anxiety shredded his innards like broken glass shards when he couldn’t find him.

The head alpha stood tall and proud at his side and began his speech. “I suppose many of you have heard that a lone wolf has been brought within the boundaries of Aurora Crescent. He was brought here last night without my knowledge or approval… by decision of alpha Yunho.”

A chorus of gasps sounded and a flurry of exchanged glances caught Hongjoong’s attention.

“All will be explained shortly, but as far as can be told from the little I was informed, he has done no wrong towards our pack and is an enemy lone wolf of Wonho’s pack. Whatever his sentence is, it will be carried out at first light. As far as Yunho’s punishment for disobeying the rules and endangering all of us, I have decided on surface wolfsbane torture. Any who wish to witness his penalty may gather in the dungeon after this meeting.”

The stillness was as heavy as the pressure in the deepest ocean trenches and it was as if time had been frozen for a moment. It was clear the head alpha had quite the flare for the dramatic.

“The reason I called us all here instead of the grand hall where there is more space is to remind all of you how close we must be if we are to survive. We must keep our secret from the human world. We must protect each other with our lives. We must never do anything to jeopardize the pack’s safety. I wanted an intimate gathering in which we can hear this story in detail and determine the truth.”

He turned off to the side to a figure that had just reentered. “Seonghwa, bring them here.”

The figure approached with head bowed low and it was revealed to Hongjoong’s eyes to indeed be Seonghwa, though he was backlit. He unfolded the bundle he had cradled in his arms and arranged its contents in order. It contained several elaborately carved wooden-hilted silver knives and a strangely pretty purple flower as well as small vials of different colored swirling liquids and empty syringes to be poured into. When Seonghwa finished, he knelt with the passive neck craning posture Hongjoong was coming to learn was the wolf sign of surrender to the alpha’s power.

“Yohan, you will begin by telling us what happened,” the head alpha said while turning fondly to his nephew. Hongjoong felt a wave of weightlessness as the comforting form stepped up and bowed to the onlookers.

Classic handsome looks and an atmosphere of formal strength oozing into the air, the young alpha spoke. “Yunho, Mingki, Jongho, Hangyul, and I were dispatched last night to a gambling bar which Wonho is known to frequent. Our mission was to observe his movements and overhear his plans while feigning coincidence that we were there. We were meant to lay low, but Kihyun was able to recognize us somehow. We retreated, but they found us in an alley and began an attack. I was overwhelmed in the struggle and we were greatly outnumbered and this wolf, a stranger to me, bit my attacker from behind and saved my life. I owe him not only my thanks for that, but also my apologies since I left his side to fight others. He was mistaken by Jongho to be enemy. He would have perished in the street if not brought here to receive Seonghwa’s healing touch.”

“Thank you, Yohan,” the head alpha purred and the boy bowed and sat back down. “As he was saying, Jongho mistook this boy for the enemy and severely bit him.”

He startled Hongjoong by suddenly approaching and spreading the young wolf's knees even wider apart. With a swift lift of Hongjoong’s shirt, he hooked it so his chest was fully naked. He unpeeled the bandage so his stitched bite mark was revealed. The air nipped at his skin and he felt the curious gazes like they were boring holes in him. Even Seonghwa finally looked up with melancholy frozen expression.

“He was brought here for healing by my son and would not have survived if left to Wonho’s wolves or to bleed in the street.” The head alpha’s cold eyes suddenly fell upon Hongjoong. “We will hear his story.” He leaned to pick up a knife and twirled it in practiced fingers, careful not to touch the glinting silver area. Black eyes fixed on the knife adoringly, he asked his first question. “How long ago were you turned?”

Everyone held their breath as they looked to Hongjoong in suspense as though if he didn’t answer the deadly poisonous knife would find itself lodged in his flesh. He struggled to find his voice, which was buried in a heap of apprehension. He cleared his throat and spoke as loudly as he could muster. “About a month, sir.”

The whole room filled with sudden whispers of surprise.

“QUIET!” shouted the head alpha and dead silence returned. “You mean to say you have only experienced one full moon?”

“Yes, sir.” The title rolled off his tongue and he praised himself for remembering the formality despite his nerves.

“How did you come to be a werewolf? Don’t leave out any details.”

Hongjoong internally faltered with his mouth slightly open. How does one tell such a traumatic story under such pressure? “M-my older brother…” he stuttered.

The head alpha drew nearer with the knife balancing between his fingers. It glinted intimidatingly from the flickers of the fire.

“My older brother, Minhyuk, was alone upstairs in our home,” he blubbered in a hurry.

Donghae raised an eyebrow in begging of continuance.

“I heard him scream and…” he paused. “I-I went to find him…and I opened the door to find…” He couldn’t help but choke on his drying throat. He could taste the saltiness of the remembered horror in the back of his mouth as the memory resurfaced clear as day. “…Wonho on top of him.” He continued in a hurry as if to fast-forward through the flashback as fast as possible. “His clothes were ripped and that monster was inside of him, slamming against him, back and forth while he just laid there screaming and crying.” His own tears could vaguely be felt falling down and landing on his chest, sliding down in little glistening trails.

He looked to Seonghwa and was heartbroken to see sparkling tears on the healer’s face. Seeing his savior cry made him let slip a sob, but he was determined to persist and avoid the slice of the knife.

He continued with eyes fixed on Seonghwa as though they were alone. “I took a chair…a-and hit him in the back of the head. He was furious, but he didn’t move or stop. The chair just shattered and we were both bleeding from the impact of the splinters. He was still…still inside Minhyuk and I wrapped my arms around his head to choke him and just get him off and his teeth…his teeth were sharper than any knife I’ve ever seen…and he bit me.” He took an exhausted breath after letting out the long sentence.

He looked at the pack members to see empathy and concern in their eyes, some with hands covering their mouths in horror. He suddenly felt less alone and the slightest bit encouraged.

“I was laying helpless on the ground with blood everywhere.” His words turned bitter and he gritted his teeth in hate. “He….H-he finished. And then he took my brother with him out the window. He was gone…I-I…”

By now, Donghae had set down the knife and approached his side. The daunting figure made Hongjoong flinch, but surprised him by settling his shirt back over his chest and embracing his head and neck in uncharacteristic warmth. The head alpha buried his nose softly in Hongjoong’s honey-colored hair. “Just take a moment,” he ordered.

Hongjoong glanced through the embrace of the head alpha’s arms to see many of the wolves, even alphas, with glassy eyes. He felt Ryeowook reach to rub circles on his back.

After a moment that was too short to resolve emotions fully, though there was no amount of time that could, Donghae pulled away and Ryeowook’s hand retreated.

Donghae’s voice turned grave and the darkness of his persona returned. “Did you go to the hospital? The police?” he interrogated.

Hongjoong closed his eyes in regret. “I was too hurt to take myself to the hospital. I got a fever in not even a full day, I don’t know how long, but by the time I could walk I was already starting to heal. I went to the police as soon as I could and reported him missing. They haven’t found him,” he wailed.

“Did you tell them about the bite?”

“No,” Hongjoong defended. “I didn’t even know what happened until I started having partial shifting problems when I was angry. My teeth would sharpen and my nails would get longer and my eyes would turn a strange color.”

“Did anyone ever see your transformations? Were you loose on your first full moon?”

“No, only my best friend, San, knows. He helped me through my first full moon and kept me tied up in the basement so I couldn’t hurt anyone. I was so obsessed with finding Wonho that I didn’t speak to anyone else.”

“How did you come to be in the bar?”

“I was following Wonho same as your wolves.”

“And your friend? Would he go to the police?

Hongjoong hesitated. “I’m not sure…”

“Would he look for you?”

“He might,” he muttered. “…but he’d never find this place or trace anything back to you.”

“What is his last name?”

“Why…”

Everyone in the room took in a sharp breath when the head alpha took up a tiny bottle and poured it into a syringe. He brandished it by Hongjoong’s throat and grasped the long hair at the back of his head to yank his head back. “His family name. I won’t ask again.”

“Choi,” Hongjoong choked. Regret flooded him and guilt soaked and drowned him.

“Thank you.” The alpha calmly set down the syringe. “We will look into whether he has been spreading dangerous information.”

“He wouldn’t,” Hongjoong assured.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about,” the head alpha answered evenly. He changed subject without warning. “You have been brought here against your will, but nonetheless you know our location and far more secrets than you should. Our rules dictate that that would mean a death sentence for an outsider.”

Hongjoong’s whole body and mind froze in pure numbness. It wouldn’t sink in.

“You are a lone wolf, no allegiance.”

“…yes.”

“No one else would come looking for you if you went missing, besides this Choi San?”

“…That’s correct...”

“Father! You cannot kill him, please! I beg of you,” Seonghwa burst out and stood, flinching from invisible assault as soon as he realized he had spoken out of turn.

“Quiet. Sit back down,” he barked. He turned back to Hongjoong. “Since I assume you know very little about werewolves, I take it you don’t know that lone wolves are the weakest.” He paused in dramatic silence. “With a pack you would be stronger.”

“With a…pack?”

“If you swore allegiance and took the oath to defend this pack with your life, you would be pardoned and you would become a part of our ranks.” He smirked, reveling in the shock his words brought about. “So let me ask you, will you join us?”


End file.
